Ion International Training Center in Leesburg, Virginia, which houses the Washington Little Caps and Londoun Knights, has faced numerous allegations over the last months.
New developments have emerged surrounding the future of Ion International Training Center in Leesburg, Virginia, as the owners have now filed a zoning permit to turn the ice rink into an auditorium/event center.
Owners Luiz Taifas and Mitra Setayesh filed a redesign plan for the facility to the town of Leesburg, which lays out significant plans to take out both ice sheets to make space for ballrooms and several multi-use conference rooms while retaining the 5,500-seat arena for events.
The plans to turn the building into an event center come amid numerous allegations surrounding the facility, including unsafe ice conditions, bathrooms falling apart, no regular cleaning crews and locker rooms left in such disarray that children change outside.
Carrie Drake, a hockey parent and volunteer at the rink, also mentioned that Setayesh had informed families of ownership's desire to keep the ice rinks going, but all the while, was working on the rezoning application.
While the application was submitted on Jan. 30, it appears that Ion had been engaging with architects as early as November, per the report.
All the while, coaches and referees have gone unpaid, while the adult league that ran out of the rink folded, leading hockey parents and rink patrons to ask what the dues they've paid are funding.
Setayesh has yet to respond to multiple requests for comment from The Hockey News.
With current ownership actively pursuing the opportunity to take away the rink for an event center, the community has voiced their outrage and concern surrounding the future of hockey in the area, as Ion currently houses the Loudoun Knights and Washington Little Caps.
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Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk's office has responded to concerns from the public, stating that while the government is "empathetic to what the community is going through," their hands are tied, as Ion is a privately-owned facility and therefore, the government cannot interfere with ownership's plans, nor can there be a public forum to stop the rezoning.
"The decision by the owner to focus on this aspect of the currently allowed uses is a decision for the operator of the business at that location and not a change that would trigger any form of regulatory review or hearing by the Town. The purpose of the application for the Town zoning permit is to confirm that the proposed changes comply with the current zoning," the Town of Leesburg wrote in a statement.
Still, the hockey programs in the region are already stretched thin, and now a figure skating community has been left mourning the tragic plane crash on Jan. 30 that took the lives of several members of the skating community. In turn, many are finding extra motivation to fight to save the ice rinks at Ion.